At one point, Mike Tyson was the most feared fighter in the world. Most of his opponents were scared to even go into the ring with him, knowing that there was a good chance that they were going to get knocked out. Although Tyson was the face of fear across all sports for years, he himself was scared. Yes, Mike Tyson was afraid that he would fail in the ring.
The following video provides evidence. Before his second Junior Olympic fight, Tyson is taped outside the arena crying a shaking, so scared about the upcoming competition, that his coach had to convince him to even go back into the stadium. Tyson eventually got into the ring, knocking his opponent out in 8 seconds.
Watch How Mike Tyson Faced His Fears
We all have fears. And when we are afraid, we are given two options: let our emotions overcome us and allow fear to deter our performance OR we acknowledge [through self-awareness] this fear, and control it, using it to better ourselves, calm us down, and put us in the right place to perform. This is not just for sport, but in business and in life. Tyson is a flawed person, but his ability to face his fears and not allowing them to take him over is an example that should be used by all of us.
Don't be afraid, just acknowledge your fears, take a deep breath, regain your confidence, and go kick ass.